Monsieur D'Arque
Monsieur D'Arque is a minor antagonist in Beauty and the Beast, voiced by the late Tony Jay. Personality Although he does not have much screen time compared to the film's other villains, enough of Monsieur D'Arque is seen for people to judge him as a callous, self-centered man who will do anything for money. However, it's implied that he may be motivated by sadism far more than by money, to the point that he even notes that Gaston's plan to blackmail Belle into marrying him is despicable, only to claim immediately afterwards with an evil laugh that he actually loves it, clutching a gold coin tightly in his fist. Also, when he arrives with the lynch mob to take Maurice away, he promises Belle with a wicked smile that they will "take good care" of Maurice in the madhouse, further implying that the patients there are subjected to forms of abuse, and D'Arque himself takes pleasure in watching it. Despite being a minor villain, it is rather interesting to note that D'Arque personality and Tony Jay's performance as the character is what lead Disney to cast Jay as Judge Claude Frollo in The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Coincidentially, Tony Jay also portrayed one of the antagonists in the live action TV series Beauty and the Beast, made before the Disney animated feature. Role in the film When Belle turns down Gaston's marriage proposal, Gaston becomes angry but when Belle's father Maurice comes into the tavern telling everyone that Belle has been locked in the dungeon by the Beast and everyone starts laughing thinking that Maurice is crazy, Gaston comes up with a plan to make Belle his wife. Later that night, after everyone goes home, Gaston and LeFou remain in the tavern with Monsieur D'Arque, who runs the local madhouse (or "Asylum for Loons") and Gaston pays him to throw Maurice in the madhouse unless Belle agrees to marry him (which is blackmail) but when they go to Belle's cottage neither Belle nor Maurice are there and Gaston has LeFou stay there on guard until Belle and Maurice return. When Belle and Maurice do come home, LeFou rushes to get Gaston, D'Arque and their lynch mob. D'Arque himself appears at Belle's doorstep and snidely promises her that they will "take good care" of Maurice, showing her the asylum's carriage. D'Arque has his men carry Maurice to the carriage despite Belle's protests. Gaston promises to have Maurice released if Belle will marry him, but Belle turns down Gaston's proposal again and manages to prove that her father is sane by showing the crowd the Beast by using the Magic Mirror. D'Arque is not seen after this, and since he was not among the rioters attacking the Beast's castle, it is likely that he merely went home, knowing that he now had no case against Maurice, whose sanity had effectively been proven. Trivia *He is the only character of Tony Jay's who hasen't yet been voiced by Corey Burton. *He could be considered to be similar to Sarousch as both live in France, both like shiny things and don't like things not going according to plan. *He is similar to fellow villain Governor Ratcliffe due to their greed for gold. *It may be interesting to note that Monsieur D'Arque was voiced by the same actor as Claude Frollo, Tony Jay. This may have helped the ongoing Internet idea that Frollo and Gaston are best friends, especially in The Frollo Show. Category:Villains Category:Males Category:Disney characters Category:Characters Category:Beauty and the Beast characters Category:Henchmen Category:Foiled Characters Category:Businesspeople Category:Adults Category:Mysterious characters